Reports of Judges. 57 



exhibited in this collection. These makers also exhibit some very 

 tasty and finely finished chandeliers. 



No. 1081, Willard's Patent Taper Burner, we pronounce the 

 best burner for this purpose known to us. It opens and shuts by 

 a simple and apparently reliable mechanism, to change the burner 

 from an ordinary lamp capable of giving the full light due to its 

 size and wick down to a very small taper just sufficient for a sick 

 room. In the use of ordinary burners, a portion of the kerosene 

 escapes unconsumed, and gives an ofiensive smell to the apartment, 

 if the lamp is used when the wick is very low. Several attempts 

 have been before made with indifierent success to accomplish what 

 this seems to have done perfectly, in enclosing the open end of the 

 wick to prevent any escape of vapor except at a very small orifice. 

 The small flame designated a taper burns through this orifice; and 

 when it is desired to increase the light, it is at once opened out 

 into the condition of an ordinary wick. The parts previously serv- 

 ing as a cover, now become ineffective, or possibly aid a little in 

 warming the air and deflecting it properly on the flame. We can- 

 not too highly praise this arrangement generally. The means of 

 operating are so convenient that the cap may be applied instantly 

 by a movement of the thumb whenever the lamp is grasped to be 

 moved about the house. All familiar with kerosene know the 

 trouble involved in the necessity for readjusting the lamp at com- 

 mencing and ending each movement in order to secure the full 

 brilliancy when standing still, without smoking when in motion; a 

 difficulty completely avoided by this construction. 



No. 1037, H. Danforth's Atmospheric Lamp, is a beautiful and 

 successful invention. . It being necessaiy to supply air for a kero- 

 sene lamp more rapidly than it will naturally be drawn by an open 

 flame, chimneys are usually provided to isolate the rarified air and 

 induce a more, active current; but chimneys, even in their cleanest 

 condition, absorb and reflect a portion of the light. This invention 

 introduces clock work in the base of the lamp, which accumulates 

 in its ample spring a stock of power on winding, which turns 

 a little fan and blows the flame by a sufficiently active current 

 led up from below, and a draft similar to that of the chim- 

 ney, is obtained without any obstruction to the light. The flame 

 burns white, clear, and motionless. The lamps exhibited are noise- 

 less. The cost of the lamp, with the accompanying mechanism, 

 should not forbid their introduction, though it will doubtless 

 retard it. 



